Beschreibung:

The Baird Jewels and Archive including Tipu Sultan's Sword “The Baird Jewel”: Sir David Baird’s magnificent Imperial Ottoman Order of the Crescent badge Fashioned as an oval diamond pendant, mounted in gold and silver set with a large red polished oval glass cabochon foiled in ruby-red and applied with diamond silver-set star and crescent, the cabachon within a border of small uniform-size old-cut diamonds and further set in a pierced lozenge frame of matching old-cut stones within an outer hoop of larger diamonds additionally decorated with four raised diamond epaulette motifs at the cardinal points; together with a detachable diamond scrolling pendant loop and small gold brooch fitting, approximately 15.75 carats in total, 58mm. max. width, 87mm. overall height, including suspension device, contained in a fitted blue velvet case, extremely fine Although the outer frame of the badge is of classic nineteenth century design and workmanship, circa 1875, the glass cabachon centre, the applied crescent and star, and the immediate diamond surround border are certainly earlier, the stones differing in their cut and shape from the vast majority of the stones in the outer frame while the cut-down silver collet settings also conform to 18th / early 19th century design £18,000-22,000 Footnote In light of the earlier constituents of this badge’s centre, some truth may exist in the family tradition that it was actually made from the stone of the ‘large ruby ring’ awarded to Sir David Baird on the Seringapatam prize list in 1799, the so-called ruby famously turning out to be a large piece of coloured glass. Family tradition also has it that Baird’s magnificent diamond-set badge was re-modelled in Victorian times to become a more readily wearable object for the Ladies of the family, in the form of “The Baird Jewel” as we see it today. Nonetheless, it can truly be said that no finer Crescent badge has yet appeared at auction, and certainly not with such an illustrious provenance. Other insignia of the Order of the Crescent awarded to Sir David Baird was sold by Sotheby’s in London on 12 September 1989 (Lot 373 - see illustration), being described as a Knight’s First Class set of insignia. Interestingly, the relevant sash badge was of plain gold in the form of a Medal of the Order, thereby strengthening the contention that Sir David was presented with, or chose to commission, a more elaborate and valuable badge. In his Concise Account of the Several Foreign Orders and Other Marks of Honourable Distinction conferred on British subjects, Carlisle actually credits Baird with receiving insignia of the Second Class, the design of which remains in question to this day: ‘David Baird, Esq., Major General of His Majesty’s Forces, “to receive and wear The Badge of The Order of The Crescent, which The Grand Seignior hath conferred upon him” - Royal Licence, 31st December 1803.’ A Brief History of the Imperial Ottoman Order of the Crescent Following Lord Nelson’s defeat of the French fleet at the battle of the Nile in August 1798, the Grand Seignior of the Ottoman Empire, Selim III, wrote to the British Minister of the Sublime Porte (Ottoman Court), stating that it was his intention to reward those officers who had made this ‘joyful event’ possible. Such rewards normally took the form of personal gifts, as in the case of Lord Nelson receiving a splendid Diamond Aigrette and a Sable Fur with broad sleeves, but given the number of potential recipients on this occasion, the British Minister humbly recommended that Selim might consider instituting a special Order of Chivalry based on European precedents, a proposal that was ultimately accepted. To begin with, however, Lord Nelson appears to have been the only recipient of the newly established Order, being graded a ‘Knight Companion of the Imperial Ottoman Order of the Crescent’. It was not until the crowning defeat of the French army in Egypt in 1801, which achievement of course included Sir David’s famous